Karl, we are not to fear that which has to come, but be prepared to endure through faith which is Jesus who strengthens us and gives us patience in always looking for the coming of our Lord. When I read scriptures such as: Psa 56:4; Matthew 10:28; John 15:18-21; Hebrews 13:6; 1Peter 4:12-14; Rev 6:9-11 just to name a few. I see that God is preparing us to withstand persecutions we might face. The Prophets died a martyrs death, Jesus died a martyrs death as the Disciples and Apostles. Even today many around the world are dying a martyrs death for the sake of Christ. Why would any of us be exempt to not die in this manner. Yes, we serve a loving God who loves us, but we will also suffer for His sake as He suffered for ours. I pray that no one would have to go through things like this, but if we do I know I will have praise on my lips as I sing glory to the Lord with my dying breath just as Paul and Silas sang praises to the Lord while they were in prison.
Luke 12:4 And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.
Luke 12:5 But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.
Luke 12:6 Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God?
Luke 12:7 But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.
Luke 12:8 Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God:
Luke 12:9 But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God.
Dear sister, I agree whole heartedly with what you say in this post, one of my reasons of what I was trying to show you in my last post is, ...if the Church were to go through the Trib it would be persecuted by Jesus Himself, yes the Church is and will be persecuted by the world, Jesus promised us that, .... but never by our Lord.
I gave you some "negative" reasons, the Word is full of "positive" examples, signs, types
I have also spoken by the prophets, and I have multiplied visions, and used similitudes, by the ministry of the prophets. Hos 12:10
of how the Church will be raptured before the Trib,
1. Enoch rapture before God's judgement on the world by the Flood.
2. The angels could not strike Sodom and Gomorrah until Lot was taken out.
3. The absence of Daniel when the three Hebrew boys were in the fiery furnace.
4. The lesson learned in Moses striking the Rock twice.
Those are just a few examples that when we study them we see many Truths that correspond and support the rapture of the Church before the Trib.
Then there are the seven dispensations, that correspond to the seven seals on the scroll (proof that dispensations are not something new, but have been in the Word since John penned the Apocalypse), if the church were still on the planet during the Trib there would only be six seals and we would have an error in our Bibles, ...which would be tantamount to saying God is not perfect.
On the other hand, may I humbly ask in love, brother to sister, why do you want to believe that the Church will go through the Trib?
What comfort is there in that and from what I asked previously about the characteristic of a Bridegroom the beats His bride before marrying her, how can we think that is the character of our loving Lord, or where in the Word has He even given us the idea or thoughts He is like that?